(Author's Note ;; Thank you all for the reviews. Keep em coming:) )
Chapter Two
"Honey, are you alright?" Julie asked, and for once Marissa noticed genuine sorrow, and remorse in her frigid eyes. Marissa glared at her,
"Little late, mom." She said, as she swung her luggage over her shoulder, and walked quickly towards the taxi that had just parked on their driveway. She didn't dare look her mother in the eyes, from this point on- it would just trigger something inside of her, something that she didn't want to understand nor reveal. She figured it was enough to just leave Summer, one of her good friends, Seth, and above all, the love of her life- Ryan Atwood. As she slammed the door closed, she glared ahead of her, attempting to hold back the tears that were tackling her eyes. Her mouth was crumpled in a frown.
Julie stared at Marissa, walking down so coldly toward the taxi cab. She didn't have the same preppy zing to her step, instead she walked quietly, and sadly. Julie looked at the house she was leaving behind, and she figured all the events in the past month led to just that. Even though Jimmy had fled, once more, Newport held too many memories that seemed unbearable to keep in mind. Everything seemed to crash down on her- everything seemed so horrendous in the entirety. Caleb Nichol, had recently passed away. Her daughted, had also recently shot someone… Here, in Newport, Julie Cooper was an absolutely wreck. In New York, she could finally be a person her daughter was proud of, a person she herself was proud of.
She stepped into the taxi, as she nodded at the driver's polite nod. She couldn't look Marissa in the eyes, for she understood the hatred that were conveyed by them. Honestly, Julie was afraid of seeing her glazed, tear-filled eyes staring back at her, reminding her second by second, what a wreck she was, "I've sent your sister a plane ticket, Marissa. She'll be joining us in New York in a few days, when we've settled." Julie muttered, keeping her eye straight at the distant house, as the taxi pulled away ever so slowly taunting the two passengers.
When Marissa felt that she was no longer on her own property, she shook her head, pressing her lips together, with a last teary sob. She covered her face with her hands, as her body shook when she tried to cover her cries. Marissa turned her gaze out the window, as she didn't even both wiping the free-flowing tears off of her already moist cheeks. Marissa closed her eyes allowing another stretch of tears tremble down her face hesitantly.
To Marissa, it seemed like excruciating hours before the taxi driver looked at her mother demandingly for his pay, and got out of the vehicle to dump their luggage for them, "Thank you ma'am." He said, as he too, like their house, became a solemn part of the horizon. Marissa grasped her luggage as her legs carried her slowly toward the airport doors. Julie followed her closely, as she touched Marissa's shoulder with her hand. Marissa slid from underneath her hand, not ready for such 'consolation' from the sole person her bestowed the pain on her in the first place. Julie felt hurt, as she dropped her hand to the side, not understand why her reassuring touch made Marissa cringe.
Marissa stopped walking, as she looked around the airport, not sure where every step would take her. Instead, she followed Julie's proud march. Marissa wondered how her mother could be so entirely positive, when her own world was crumbling into pieces. She didn't know whether she should take into her shadow, and look at it optimistically- however, she didn't know how to look at it in the first place. To her, her entire life was shattered right before her eyes, and the situation was helpless, because no matter how much she pleaded, nor begged her mother- the situation was simply, a lost cause.
Ryan still didn't know what he was doing, in his car, halfway toward the airport. Sure, he was trying to get Marissa back- but really, would it help? Would Marissa fall into his arms, kiss him feverously, and say she would stay with him and never let go? – Probably not. Ryan wasn't sure why his body was leading him toward the airport so suddenly, determination flattering his every step. He realized it would probably be too late… too late to get Marissa back, too late to even see her again before she was on her way to the Big Apple- too late for everything. He jumped out of his car, and raced toward the airport entrance. Once he got in, he looked around the maze of people, scattered busily in and about. And then, he recognized something he could recognize from miles away- Marissa's golden-brown hair, as she closed her eyes, clutching her carryon. Ryan saw her inhale deeply, before she took one step inside the gates.
"Marissa!" Ryan cried out. To his heart's content, she turned around, but her expression was neither happy, nor angry, nor even sad. She closed her eyes swiftly, and shook her head faintly, and Ryan understood that nothing he said, or did could convince her now. Ryan continued to stare at her beautiful face, as he noticed from far away, that tears started to gather in her eyes. Ryan pocketed his hands, as he simply stood, staring at Marissa like he had never before, noticing every single immaculate detail about her face. Crowds of people were scurrying past him, and he seemed to be the only one not thinking about anything except this one girl, and not doing anything but staring at her. Marissa then turned around, evidently unable to gulp anymore down. She walked through the gates, and Ryan continued to watch her leave.
She left.
Ryan could not register the thought, nor would he want to. He could have never imagined Marissa Cooper, his first true love simply leaving. He could have never imagined her, falling through the tips of his fingers. He would have never imagined the situation he was in, but he understood that he was done imagining. Reality had hit him hard, much too hard for him to bear. It had knocked him off his feat once, when he met Marissa. He couldn't possibly be knocked down again, if he wasn't even up yet, to begin with.
Ryan turned around, his face trailing the ground, his shoulder slumped. He started to drag his feet toward his car, and soon he found himself turning on the engine, and taking his vulnerable body home.
